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Author
Topic: POOL Sampling Test window period (Read 6889 times)

HelloCongratulations for your support. I live in California , and I want to test for HIV. Right now I prefer not to discuss the exposure and I'm expecting a negative result, however I do not want to wait 6-13 weeks.

Is this Pool sample reliable?My exposure was 5 days ago

I don't care about the cists, I've read a lot about HIV and these guys seem to know a lot since the do not recommend the PCR test

Here is their info, I would appreciate comments about the pool test and the antigen test and their respective window :

We could Offer

POOL Sampling Testjust days after exposure ( NOT A DNA PCR which could be done after 1 month only) because acute infection, prior to sero-conversion, is usually accompanied by high viral titers (10E5-10E7), it is possible to identify viral NA with sufficient sensitivity in pools of >100 samples per test. The sensitivity of test per individual sample included in the pool is approximately 2000 copies/ml, However Pooled sample testing has been optimized to detect impressive low number of 1-5 copies per milliliter of HIV RNA ( HIV does not have DNA, it has RNA) in a specimen pool ( blood sample). This test has been approved for screening of plasma products. This is difficult and time consuming specially when pool become positive ,but it is an ultimate way of testing.512

Many unlawful testing website promote this test as early as 48 hours after exposure which is incorrect Nucleic acid tests for HIV DNA, but are approved by FDA for diagnostic purposes" . This test not to be done up to 30 days after exposure.HIV DNA PCR Testing (Not approved).... "notIf you are negative with HIV DNA PCR it is not going to be your final result

Misleading Unlawful Web TestingOne website with hundreds of of "Testing centers" !These internet "HIV Testing centers" websites mostly located outside of California, and most of them are just a website without physical location and nothing more. They charge the buyer and send the patients to these lab specimen taking centers (which exist in many locations ) without actual doctor visit or situation specific testing and interpretation of results. They Claim they have more than 1800 and some 2500 STD / HIV Testing centers/ clinic nationwide!! which is misleading. These people are nothing more than a Toll free number, credit card machine and "test" sales person with all possible wrong information. You could try it for yourself, if you call them and state you had sex 2 days ago then they would encourage you to get tested for HIV DNA PCR!! while HIV PCR is not to be used up to 30 days after exposure.

We could also offer HIV special Antigen test. Valuable test which could provide info for HIV Ag as early as 14 days after exposure (window period). ...

We are capable to check for both HIV 1 and HIV 2 with blood or oral fluid in few minutes. Our test is highly accurate FDA approved done in our certified lab. No Home test or non-FDA approved self test. Experienced medical doctor and not just counselor will talk to you and answer all your specific questions. We will provide you with official report with MD (Lab Director signature ) same day for your record, your doctor, or your partner. We are in fair distance to different area in southern California. If you could not wait hours or days for your HIV test result, then we give it to you in minutes. When it comes to HIV testing, count on us.

HIV PCR Result in the Quickest time upon your request

What is HIV RNA ? I t is a nucleic acid inside HIV virus which contain genetic information.

What is Human DNA ? It is a nucleic acid inside human cells which contain genetic information.

What is HIV 2 ?There are 2 type of HIV today so just check for HIV (1) does not mean your are positive or negative for HIV (2) as well. find out more about HIV-2 on following:linkhttp://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/facts/hiv2.htm Travelers to Ivory Coast, Gambia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone if have been exposed to HIV infection, you may get false negative test result in the USA as most of HIV test offer is HIV 1 which may not detect HIV-2 unless you inform your doctor and request http://www.californiastd.com/wst_page10.html

HIV-2 test as well.

Why is it important that our lab has to test for HIV ? permission

It is a California law for patient safety. HIV testing needs its own exclusive permission by the state. One of the requirement is to perform proficiency testing. We get evaluated by third party routinely in order to make sure that our lab is accurate. It means on routine basis we receive unknown samples and we run HIV test on them and our test result will be evaluated and reported. We do constant internal quality control as well ,so when you get your HIV result you could feel very confident that your test is reliable.[url]]http://http://

This is what I found:"At present there is no viral load test approved by the FDA for the purpose of diagnosing HIV infection in individual patients. In September the FDA did approve a viral load test developed by National Genetics Institute for screening large pools of donated blood plasma. If viral load testing is not available, current treatment guidelines2 recommend testing for p24 antigen, a viral protein. In either case, the diagnosis should be confirmed by antibody testing once the window period has elapsed."

I will call today and tomorrow I will take the Sample Pool exam, just to ease my mind which is playing tricks on me, the I will take an antibodies test after 2-4-6 weeks, and one super final exam after 13 weeks.

I WILL NOT take a PCR DNA exam, I will only take a Pool sample exam and then the normal antibodies

Thanks for the support, these test are not conclusive but are a piece of pease for my troubled mind, just to ease the waiting.

If this technology is available I want to use it.

Nobody answered my question abot blood donation. The red cross uses these test in order to donate blood, they DO NOT wait 13 weeks and they trust these results

Look Raf, you do whatever you like. If you want to have NAT testing done, then try and arrange it. It's down to you. You'll discover (as many others before you have) that you can't get around the 13 week rule if you really want get a conclusive result.

let's say this Pool Sample test is 99.5% accurate, that means it can detect as low as 5 copies/ml, but 5 out of 1000 times, it fails, so even though there can be a lot of copies/ml, the test doesn't detects them

So, let's imagine the test is 99.5% accurate, sure, I still need a test at the 6 weeks, and another one at the 13 weeks, in order to be 100% sure I'm ok

However, if the test is 99% accurate or 95% or anything, still, is a peace for my mind

So, based on my new question, can you please respond to me?

Do you think a pool sampling test can put my mind at ease?

I KNOW IT WONT BE CONCLUSIVEhowever, I know it will be very comforting to receive a negative there

Changing subjects, how long does the HIV virus can survive in a needle?

For instance, drug users, the inject their blood stream with a drug, immediately after that another guy injects himself with that same needle, so he gets infected.

However, if the needle is left in some place, will air kill the virus quickly or slowly?

I've read the chance of getting infected by needle sharing is 67 in 10000, is that true?

Does anybody knows any sort of info about the virus and how fast it will be destroyed in a needle? Does the needle has to have obvious blood in it, or small particles invisible to the human eye will transmit the virus?

I am thinking in buying Ora Quick exams since (to be honest) if I go to a testing center I will need to supervise and verify for myself that the lady is getting a brand new needle.

I know I might sound paranoid but all these questions are so that I can be more confident with myself

Here's the deal. If you have a specific risk you'd like to discuss, we're happy to do it. That's how we work here in the AMI forum. But if you think you can just come in here and ask various pointless questions like the one about how long does HIV survive in needles then you're gonna be disappointed.

All you need to know about HIV transmission and testing is contained in the lessons linked to in our Welcome Thread.

I just want to know, if I go to a testing center, and the lady injects me with a needle, how long does the HIV virus survive in the needle?

Sorry but for me it's not a stupid question. I just read that needle sharing involves a 1:150 risk of transmission, therefore, I prefer to take saliva out of my body by myself.

Sorry again is this is a stupid question, but I just want to know if needle sharing means injecting and immediately injecting to another person, or if HIV is a virus that dies easily in the atmosphere.

Today I've read a post from Ann stating that the PH, humidity, oxygen... kill the virus, that the virus doesn't survives outside the body.

So with needle sharing, I want to know if there has to be any blood in the needle, or if this is all microscopic, and if the virus dies in the atmosphere.

Again, sorry, but I'm making decisions based on this, since I might just wait a month at my house, order OraQuick, test, and then retest after another month

"Air does not "kill" HIV, but exposure to air dries the fluid that contains the virus, and that will destroy or break up much of the virus very quickly. The CDC reports that drying HIV reduces viral amount by 90-99% within several hours.

It should be noted that HIV can survive for several days in the small amount of blood that remains in a needle after use, because the blood is trapped where air cannot dry it out. As a result, used needles are very risky for HIV transmission; they provide a direct path into the bloodstream."

ok, so if I go to a testing center, I must make sure the girl uses a new needle

Now I understand why people are afraid of needles, because of HIV, sharing needles is extremely risky.

If you go to an HIV Lab, and you see a needle, you might think that it is the same needle that was used to take a sample of the previous patient, you know, people might make mistakes, the nurse might forget to throw the needle

So it is important to check that the needle is brand new before she takes the test

With these tests hopefully more people will be able to know their HIV status.

How dies thee red cross tests blood for infection, they must perform a NRA or antigen or something, the do not wait 13 weeks

Blood Services use pool testing for early detection purposes. However antibody and antigen testing is also performed on every sample in conjunction with pool testing. The purpose of pool testing by blood services is to detect potential donors that may be positive but test non reactive via a standard ELISA antibody test. Pool testing is not approved for diagnostic purposes. If a pool test returns a reactive result the sample is halfed until the positive donor is identified.

As has already been pointed out the only definitive test for a negative result is an antibody test at 13 weeks post exposure. Pool testing can assist in identifying early infections but will not warrant that a person is negative from the exposure.

For that purpose a negative rapid test or a standard ELISA at 13 weeks is definitive evidence that infection did not occur.

Unless you've been using a syringe to inject drugs immediately after someone who is hiv positive, you're worrying needlessly. When people inject drugs, they draw some blood up into the barrel first, before injecting, to make sure they've got a vein. This is where the risk comes from - fresh blood being left behind in some component of the syringe.

When the syringe is used immediately by a new person, this remaining blood is then injected DIRECTLY into the blood stream of the next person.

This isn't a concern when needles are used in a health care setting. Syringes aren't re-used and no, health care workers do not have black outs and accidently or otherwise re-use a syringe. They don't "forget" to follow this very important universal precaution. Can you imagine the lawsuits if they did?

You mention straight off in your first post that you don't want to discuss why you think you are at risk for hiv infection. This leads me to believe that you know what we'll tell you - that what you're worried about isn't a risk. You may be worried that we won't hold your hand for the next three months. I'll tell you right now, unless you're more forthcoming about your "risk", I won't be holding your hand anyway.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently - and never share drug injecting equipment with anyone - and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts